Improve your photography game with soft lights and here are 6+ things you should know

Ann Remo

Contributing Writer

Africa Studio / Shutterstock

Great lighting is essential to producing quality photographs. This is one of the things you want to get to really know when first starting out in photography. Improve your photography game with soft lights and here are 6+ things you should know.

Soft light is light that is not too harsh with light or shadows. Soft lighting leaves out details and blemishes, making it ideal lighting for portraits. Keep these tips in mind when working with soft light.

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1. Use a reflectorReflectors can be used indoors or outside. If using a reflector outside on a sunny day, place it between the subject and sun to get a softer look in your shot. This will also cause less shadows and more color to come out since the light is evenly distributed throughout the shot.

2. Diffusion panelAnother way to create the soft light look is by using a diffusion panel. Place the panel between the light and the subject being photographed. Now the entire shot is filled with soft light so that you can shoot away until you get the pictures you want.

3. BacklitSometimes its best to have the light source coming from behind the subject to achieve soft light. This may cause soft shadows to appear in your shot, but not overtake the subject. Make sure the sun is behind your subject in order to achieve a nice soft backlit look.

4. White wallsIf you are near a wall outside or in a room where all the walls and ceiling are white, use these to your advantage. You can use these to bounce light off of, further creating the soft light look on what you are photographing. Using colored walls will give a different effect, but white walls are great to use as a natural reflector.

5. PortraitsSoft light is popular to use in portraits, since it softens harsh lines and blemishes on people, bringing out their best features. Find a shady spot if taking photos outside to avoid harsh light. You don't need a reflector when shooting in shade, but can bring one along to use and compare results.

6. SoftboxIf you already have a light you are using, add a softbox on it for a softly lit look. Place a softbox in the area you will use to photograph. Move the box away or toward the subject to see how the quality of light changes and find how much light you want on your subject.

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7. UmbrellasUmbrellas are also great to use if the lighting is too harsh or you need to create another source of soft light. If there is no white wall around or you are shooting on a sunny day, use an umbrella. You can bounce light off the umbrella and it can help spread soft light across what you are shooting.